by Luke Little
COVID-19 has created problems everywhere. There are shelter in place orders with no foreseeable end, school has been cancelled, businesses are shutting down, people are struggling financially, and many have died. It is a very difficult time for everyone. But through it all it is easy to overlook the difficulty teenagers are facing.
Many older teens, including myself, have been struggling with everything that has been happening. The majority of teens' mental health have gone downhill and the quarantine has exacerbated these issues. The best and most exciting part of high school is supposed to be the final stretch of senior year, what we were beginning to enter, and it was abruptly stripped away from us. I had no idea that one random Friday was going to be my last day of high school. I had no idea I wasn’t going to return to school the next Monday. There are so many people I would have wanted to say goodbye to, and to say thank you to but was not able.
Teens have been getting depressed, unmotivated, and scared about future plans. Many of us have just gotten into colleges, and would like to visit these schools, to see where our futures will take us, but have been limited to the bare minimum: virtual tours and research of other’s experiences. This makes the transition to college much more terrifying and uncertain than it otherwise would be. We may not even have an in person first semester of college.
This time of life for an older teen is supposed to be the most fun. It is the last time we don’t have any adult responsibilities. It is the last time to have fun with no worries. It is the last time to ever be in high school. It is the last time to have all your friends over. It is the last time to be a kid.
With all of these changes and uncertainties, it is important to look at the bright side of things to take to take care of yourself. Be sure to get yourself into a daily routine, connect with others, exercise, eat healthy, and take time to unwind. Don't be afraid to reach out if you need help or need to talk.